Nurses deserve
special applause

Posted
5/2/13

May 6 is National Nurses Day, and the whole following week is also dedicated to honoring nurses. We think it’s wonderful that the nation has dedicated a stretch of time specifically to thank these men and women for their dedication to helping people get well.

In fact, we think nurses across the country should get some extra appreciation this year.

We’ve been very interested in the coverage of the Boston Marathon bombing, and some of the stories that came out of the chaos and the tragedy were astounding. We want to draw some attention to the profound difference the many nurses, medical professionals and volunteers who were present that day made in preserving the lives of the many, many people who were critically injured in the blasts.

The bombing only killed three people, but it inflicted devastating injury on the crowd. The medical tent across from the finish line acted quickly and calmly, shifting into trauma mode, and taking quick, organized action in the face of chaos with one goal in mind: to save lives.

And they did.

And while we’re specifically honoring nurses next week, we were most impressed by the total effort of those who stepped in to help during the aftermath — the work of nurses, doctors, emergency responders both on and off duty, and even civilians.

Those responders were driven by the spirit that’s present in everyone who goes into the nursing profession. It’s simple but beautiful: the drive help people.

Nurses’ efforts from day to day might not receive the attention that was given to the immediate responders to the Boston Marathon bombing, but their everyday motivation is the same. They are just as deserving of praise and gratitude.

Most of us know people who are medical professionals, and we know that for them, it’s not just a job, it’s a way of life — 365 days a year, 24/7, no matter where they are. They spend years learning and developing their professional skills, and they use those skills whenever they can, whether they’re at work or not, to help family, friends, and complete strangers.

To all these awe-inspiring individuals, for your efforts past and present, we would like to say thank you.